Virtual relationships in social media Parasocial relationships
Sproull and Kiesler reduced cues theory suggests virtual relationships less McCutcheon developed Celebrity attitude scale. Using this Maltby identified
effective as they lack cues, we depend on in FtF interactions. Reduced sense three levels of parasocial relationship. Entertainment-social refers to least R
of individual identity which may lead to disinhibition. People are less likely to
want to disclose to someone who is impersonal.
intense level. Celebrities viewed as sources of entertainment and fuel for
social interaction. Intense-personal refers to intermediate level which reflects
E
Walther hyper personal model argues that can be more personal and involve
more self-disclosure. Can develop quickly as self-disclosure happens earlier.
a greater personal involvement. Borderline-pathological is the strongest level,
featuring uncontrollable fantasies and extreme behaviours.
L
Sender of a message has greater control over what to disclose and the cues McCutcheon linked the levels approach to the deficiencies people have in A
they send than they would in a FtF interaction – selective self-representation. their own lives. Parasocial relationship allows a person to escape from reality
Self-disclosures can be both hyperhonest or hyperdishonest. Receiver gains and may be triggered by a personal crisis. The absorption addiction model – T
positives impression and may give feedback that reinforces selective self- absorption involves seeking fulfilment in celebrity worship. Addiction can lead
representation. Anonymity also contributes as when you’re aware that other to more extreme behaviours and delusional thinking. E.g. believing a celebrity I
people do not know your identity you feel less accountable.
Mckenna and Bargh suggested a gate is any obstacle to forming a
has reciprocating feelings and stalking them.
Psychologists have suggested that there is a tendency to form parasocial
O
relationship. Most gates are absent in virtual relationships. Therefore,
relationship progresses quicker. Absence of gating means individual is freed
relationships in adolescence and adulthood because of attachment
difficulties. Insecure-resistant are more likely to form parasocial relationships.
N
to be more like themselves. However, people can create untrue identities Insecure-avoidant prefer to avoid pain and rejection of relationships all S
which can lead to a virtual second life of a false identity. together.
- Online cues different rather than absent. Style and timing of - Research. Participants who scored as borderline-pathological tended H
messages can create nuances that are just as subtle as FtF ones. to experience a high degree of anxiety in their intimate relationships.
Tonality can be expressed through acronyms and emojis. People at the entertainment-social did not. I
- Found that self-report studies showed that frequency, breadth, and
depth were all greater in FtF relationships. Contradicts
- Addiction-absorption model suggests that a deficiency in a person’s
life would predispose them to forming parasocial relationships. Girls
P
hyperpersonal model. Questions asked online tend to be more
hyperhonest. Self-presentation can also be hyperdishonest. Supports
who reported intense-personal parasocial relationships with adult
female celebrity whose body they admired tended to have poor
S
claims of hyperhonest/dishonest self-disclosures. body image, which may contribute to the development of ED.
- Shy and socially anxious people find virtual relationships valuable. Supports prediction of poor psychological functioning and level of
71% of relationships formed online by shy people lasted more than 2 parasocial relationship.
years. - Attachment theory explains why common across cultures for people
- Theories fail to take into account that all relationships are to form parasocial relationshiops. Researchers found that people
multimodal. We conduct them both online and offline rather than with n insecure attachment type were most likely to form intense
either/or. What we choose to disclose in virtual relationships is parasocial relationships with TV personalities. True in both
influenced by out offline interactions and vice versa. collectivist and individualist cultures. Researchers found that
attachment security did not affect the likelihood of forming a
parasocial relationship. Not necessarily a way of compensating for
attachment issues.
Sproull and Kiesler reduced cues theory suggests virtual relationships less McCutcheon developed Celebrity attitude scale. Using this Maltby identified
effective as they lack cues, we depend on in FtF interactions. Reduced sense three levels of parasocial relationship. Entertainment-social refers to least R
of individual identity which may lead to disinhibition. People are less likely to
want to disclose to someone who is impersonal.
intense level. Celebrities viewed as sources of entertainment and fuel for
social interaction. Intense-personal refers to intermediate level which reflects
E
Walther hyper personal model argues that can be more personal and involve
more self-disclosure. Can develop quickly as self-disclosure happens earlier.
a greater personal involvement. Borderline-pathological is the strongest level,
featuring uncontrollable fantasies and extreme behaviours.
L
Sender of a message has greater control over what to disclose and the cues McCutcheon linked the levels approach to the deficiencies people have in A
they send than they would in a FtF interaction – selective self-representation. their own lives. Parasocial relationship allows a person to escape from reality
Self-disclosures can be both hyperhonest or hyperdishonest. Receiver gains and may be triggered by a personal crisis. The absorption addiction model – T
positives impression and may give feedback that reinforces selective self- absorption involves seeking fulfilment in celebrity worship. Addiction can lead
representation. Anonymity also contributes as when you’re aware that other to more extreme behaviours and delusional thinking. E.g. believing a celebrity I
people do not know your identity you feel less accountable.
Mckenna and Bargh suggested a gate is any obstacle to forming a
has reciprocating feelings and stalking them.
Psychologists have suggested that there is a tendency to form parasocial
O
relationship. Most gates are absent in virtual relationships. Therefore,
relationship progresses quicker. Absence of gating means individual is freed
relationships in adolescence and adulthood because of attachment
difficulties. Insecure-resistant are more likely to form parasocial relationships.
N
to be more like themselves. However, people can create untrue identities Insecure-avoidant prefer to avoid pain and rejection of relationships all S
which can lead to a virtual second life of a false identity. together.
- Online cues different rather than absent. Style and timing of - Research. Participants who scored as borderline-pathological tended H
messages can create nuances that are just as subtle as FtF ones. to experience a high degree of anxiety in their intimate relationships.
Tonality can be expressed through acronyms and emojis. People at the entertainment-social did not. I
- Found that self-report studies showed that frequency, breadth, and
depth were all greater in FtF relationships. Contradicts
- Addiction-absorption model suggests that a deficiency in a person’s
life would predispose them to forming parasocial relationships. Girls
P
hyperpersonal model. Questions asked online tend to be more
hyperhonest. Self-presentation can also be hyperdishonest. Supports
who reported intense-personal parasocial relationships with adult
female celebrity whose body they admired tended to have poor
S
claims of hyperhonest/dishonest self-disclosures. body image, which may contribute to the development of ED.
- Shy and socially anxious people find virtual relationships valuable. Supports prediction of poor psychological functioning and level of
71% of relationships formed online by shy people lasted more than 2 parasocial relationship.
years. - Attachment theory explains why common across cultures for people
- Theories fail to take into account that all relationships are to form parasocial relationshiops. Researchers found that people
multimodal. We conduct them both online and offline rather than with n insecure attachment type were most likely to form intense
either/or. What we choose to disclose in virtual relationships is parasocial relationships with TV personalities. True in both
influenced by out offline interactions and vice versa. collectivist and individualist cultures. Researchers found that
attachment security did not affect the likelihood of forming a
parasocial relationship. Not necessarily a way of compensating for
attachment issues.
